Apple now world's biggest 'PC' maker?

Apple has 'stormed past' former PC number one HP to become the world's largest producer of PCs. Assuming that tablet devices are counted as PCs.
Market analysis outfit Canalys has decided that tablets, or 'pads' as they call them, are actually PCs and that means they counted Apple's 15 million iPads to come up with the claim.
Canalys pointed out that HP was "pursuing a Windows strategy" for tablets, focusing on the enterprise market until the arrival of Windows 8. Alluding to the importance of the consumer market to HP and Windows 8 tablets in general, Canalys said that "questions remain" over the consumer prospects for Windows 8 tablets.
"Microsoft must focus its efforts on creating an intuitive user experience that is far less resource intensive," said Canalys Analyst Tim Coulling.
Canalys was also not of the opinion that ultrabooks would be the great white knight for the PC market, at least not in the first half of the year.
We expect ultrabook volumes to see limited adoption through the first half of 2012, before finally gaining momentum later in the year as price points decline and Intel launches a new line of processors and embarks on an aggressive marketing campaign," said Canalys Research Analyst Michael Kauh.
Canalys reckons that PC vendors in the netbook and notebook space (are there any netbooks left?) will feel the pinch, particularly as Apple moves to launch the next generation of iPad.
For what it's worth, we reckon it's a PC if you have complete control over the software on it. Not like an iPad but then... that's quite like an Android tablet isn't it? Oh dear.

http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/read/...c-maker/027874